Search This Blog

Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

Café Society Reviewed By David Sims

Café Society follows Bronx-born Bobby (Eisenberg) as he
travels to Hollywood and lands a job working for his uncle Phil (Carell), a
high-powered agent in the movie business. There he falls hopelessly in love
with his uncle’s secretary, Vonnie (Stewart). Vonnie has a boyfriend, so Bobby
settles for friendship, until her breakup offers him the chance to kindle a
romance between them.

The Review

There are two kinds of people reading this: Woody Allen Fans and Woody
Allen Non-Fans.

First, for the Non-Fans: This is not a good movie. It pains me to have
to report this, I take no pleasure in it. Allen has done movies you like, such
as Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Blue Jasmine and Midnight In
Paris, but this is not one of them. Unless you really have a thing for
1930s café society, skip it.

Okay, you can stop reading now.

Fellow Fans, the news is grim. This is The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
without the zany plot, To Rome With Love without the loose, fun Italian
vibe. It’s Allen without any fresh ideas or juicy roles -- most Allen movies,
good or bad, have at least one memorable performance. None here. Parker Posey
is lively and interesting, she’s earned a bigger role and better script next
time.

The dialogue sounds like Allen mistook the first draft for the shooting
script. You can’t blame the acting for being so perfunctory when the good,
solid cast is given so little of interest to do or say. Yes, the cinematography
and 1930s sets, music and costumes are top shelf, it is Woody Allen after all.
So if that’s why you go to movies, there’s that. Honestly, all else aside,
they’re superb.

The early Jewish hooker scene is classic Woody comedy. Corey Stoll as
tough Jew gangster Ben is refreshing, there’s a pleasant and lush evening in
Manhattan sequence towards the end. Beyond that, pickings are slim.
Unfortunately there’s zero on-screen chemistry between Eisenberg and Stewart in
a plot that relies on just exactly that to work. Lacking that, it all falls
flat.

The Verdict

The worst sin of Café Society is that it’s as beautiful,
superficial and boring as the beautiful, superficial and boring people it
depicts. For Allen diehard completists only.